Q: My 12-year-old recently transferred to a new junior high and is terrified to leave home every morning. Her fear of school seems to be making her sick â sheâs always complaining of headaches or stomachaches, and sheâs missed a lot of school. What should I do?

A: âGive it some time and give her lots of encouragement,â said Lauren Solotar, Ph.D., chief psychologist at May Institute. âMost kids have times when they do not want to go to school, and making the adjustment to a new school as a pre-teen can be quite challenging. You might want to think about meeting with your childâs teachers and the school counselor to discuss your concerns.

âIf the situation continues or intensifies, your daughter may be suffering from school phobia, an irrational, persistent fear of going to school that affects about one percent of all students at some point during their school years,â said Solotar.

School phobia is a type of childhood anxiety disorder. In younger children, it is sometimes caused by separation anxiety, as it is often associated with their fear of being separated from home and family. For older children and teenagers, a fear of going to school can be caused by fear of a bully, social anxiety, or depression. It may be the result of a stressful situation either at home or at school.

For some children, the stress that results from a major life change such as a move, a divorce, or a death in the family may contribute to the development of school phobia.

Youngest children, only children, children with chronic illnesses, and those with low self-confidence are more likely to experience school phobia than their peers.

In addition to physical complaints such as stomachache, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache, other signs/symptoms of school phobia include:

â¢ Refusing to go to school
â¢ Panic attacks or temper tantrums
â¢ Feeling unsafe; fear of being alone
â¢ Worry about safety of family members
â¢ Nightmares or difficulty sleeping
âIf your child only feels unwell when school is in session and seems fine during the evenings and on weekends, she is probably not physically ill,â said Solotar. âYou might also want to see whether there is a pattern to the school avoidance. For instance, does she try to stay home more often on Tuesdays and Thursdays? If so, try to determine what is different about her routine on those days. However, if you have any concerns, you should also schedule an appointment with her pediatrician to make sure she is not suffering from a physical illness.â

âIn most cases, the best course of action for parents is to be firm with their child and make it clear that attending school is not optional,â Solotar advised. âGive your daughter something to look forward to every day after school. It might be shopping, a bike ride, or making a special dessert together. When youâre spending time together, encourage her to talk about her feelings. Often kids feel more comfortable opening up when the focus is not directly on them, so you may have to pay attention to offhand remarks and comments in casual conversation to find out how they are really feeling about things.â

Most school phobia is worked out over time without outside intervention, according to Solotar: âIf the situation persists and your child appears to be seriously depressed, however, you may want to consider psychological or psychiatric counseling.â